Electrolytic condenser and electrolyte therefor



June 12, 1928.

1,672,899 H. N. 'MILLER ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSER AND ELECTROLYTE THEREFORFiled March 5, 1927 m ik H5) x l Patented June 12, 1928. UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

HARRY N. MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FANSTEEL PRODUCTSCOMv PANY, INC., OF NORTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTROLYTIC (ITONDENSER. AND ELECTROLYTE THEREFOR.

Application led March 5, 1927. Serial No. 173,031.

This invention relates to electrolytic apc urrent'voltage, somewhatabove .the deparatus, especially condensers; and the obsired criticalvoltage of the condenser, will ject is to provide a device of this klndwhich be impressed upon said platesuntil the flow is substantially dry.ot current has decreased to substantially 5 Electrolytic storage devicesoffer many zero. If the critical voltage is to be 100, the o0 advantagesoverother types of condensers plates should be subjected to a voltage ofin that they may be comparatively small 1n about 125. 'lhe aluminumplates are then size and, at the same time, have a very large dried atroom temperature and are dipped in capacity. the electrolyte solutionprepared above so l Electrolytic devices heretofore used have that thisgelatine-glycerine-salt solution adab required aqueous solutions ofacids, salts, or heres to said plate to a depth of 11g inch. bases whichare undesirable because of the These plates are allowed to cool till thegeladiiiiculty in handling and because of their tine composition is set,atwhich period it corrosive action on the containers and the may bedescribed as a tough gel, the surface l5 electrodes. of which is quitetacky. 70

The object of my invention is to over- Sheets of lead about mils inthickness come these objections by providing an eleeare cut into platesabout 21/2 by 11A; inches, trolytic conductor carried in a non-fluidgelwith a tab projecting from one side to be se-l like body which mayform al thin coating on cured bya binding post similar to the bindingthe filmed aluminum (positive) plates and post used connecting thealuminum pla-tes. 75 serve las negative plates of the condenser, the Theassembly of my improved condenser film on the aluminum serving as thedielecis illustrated in the accompanying drawings tric, which form apart of this specification and A further object of this invention is toinwhich similar parts are referred to by like 25 corporate. an ionogeninto a composition of reference characters. 80 gelatine vand g cerine. tFig. 1 is a horizontal section taken on the l A further o ject is toprovide an imline 1*1 of Fig. 2. proved condenser construction. Fig. 2is a section taken along line 2-2 Other objects will be apparent as thedeof Fig. 1.

. tailed description of my invention proceeds. Fig. 3 is an enlargedcross section taken on 85 The electrolyte is prepared by dissolving line3-3 of Fig. 2.

three parts, by weight, of gelatine in one On a coated aluminum plate 10is placed part of glycerine, heat being. supplied to a lead plate 11with the respective binding effect the solution. This hot solution isterminals 12 and 13 extending froinopposite preferably saturated withsodium bicarbonsides of a container 14, as shown in Fig. 1. ate,although other salts, such as neutral- In the preferred embodiment,there vare ammonium berate, tartrate, or phosphate, about four aluminumplates and five lead may be used Without departing from the .platesalternately arranged, as Shown in spirit of the invention. A smallamount of Figs. 2 and 3. The aluminum and lead lithium hydroxide may beadded to prevent plates are maintained in spaced relation by leakage andto prolong the life of theeell. the gelatine coat-ing 10A which adheresto This solution is allowed to cooll until it ac- Said platesand servesboth to keep the plates quires a consistency such that, when .a plate inspaced relation and to hold them to- .is dipped into it, it will adhereto the depth gether. The projections 12 of the alumiof ,1g ofan inch.num plates are bent together and secured by The positive 0r aluminumplates are (gut a bOlt l5 Which fOImS the pOSltiVe pole 0f from 26-gaugealuminum and are about 3 the condenser. In like manner, the projecby21/4f inches, with a tab project-ing from tions 1 3-of the lead platesare secured by a one end to be connected by a binding post. bolt 16.When the plates are thus secured,

50 These plates are first formed in a water the entire device may beenclosed by a con'- 105 solution of. salt, preferably the same salttainer of cardboard, hard rubber, or other which is used in thegelatine-glycerine solusuitable material, the binding posts 12 and.tion. For instance, if sodium bicarbonate 13 preferably protruding fromthis containis used, the plates will be 'immersed in a er, as shown inFig. 1.

55 saturated solution of this salt and a direct While I have described amethod of coatn ing the filmed electrodes with the electrof lytic gel,it is understood that other means may be used for spacing the plates inmy condenser. For example, the gelatine-glycerine-salt solution preparedas above 'indicated, may be owed ona glass plate to a depth of about ,1Ginch, and when cooled,V

may be cut into squares of proper size for use with the condenserplates. When these films of electrolyte are uscd,the condenser is madeby placing them between the alter- `nate aluminum and lead plates, `theadhesive properties of the gel hold the assembled mass together and thetoughness and'rigidity' of the -gel maintain the plates in spacedrelation.

Another embodiment of my invention l would consist in passing a strip ofthin scription here as they do paper, cloth, or the like, through thegelatine-glycerine-salt vsolution in the manner generally used to coatrubber goods or to deposit sensitizing medium on photographic films.Various systems of rollers, tanks, beating means, etc., may be employed.These means are familiar and need no demetal may be used, especiallytantalum whose film forming qualities render it especially adaptable forthis purpose. Likewisc, I do not limit myself to lead plates. Theseplates are merely forvthe purpose of conduct-ing the electricity to thevarious parts of the electrolyte and any good conductor, which does notform a film, and which is not corroded, may be used.

My invention also includes the use of film forming electrotrodes insteadof lead plates; .for example, all of the plates (both l() and 11) may bemade of aluminum or of tantalum. For a. condenser connected in series inan alternating circuit, this type of a condenser would be used.

In describing the operation of my condenser, it need only be pointed outthat the leadplates do not serve as condenser plates as such, but merelyas conductors to evenly distribute the electrical charge to the variousparts of the electrolyte. The electrolyte gel, which may be called aneleetrolytic conductor, is in'realitvthe negative plate of my condenser,theiilm on .the aluminum 1 s the dielectric, and the alumlnum 1s theposinot form a partl tive plate. It will thus be seen that I havecombined the advantages of the-electrolytic condenser and of theordinary condenser in a single device. v

The term ionogen as used in the accompanying claims is a genericexpression which includes acids, bases,A salts, and/or other materialswhich, in solution and/or fluid condition, yield ions to conduct an,lelectric current. An electrolyte is an ionogen solution.

The term dry as used in the accompanying claims doesl not means that notrace of water can be present but that the reagents are kept as freefrom water as practicable using ordinary C. I. glycerin.

lfVhile I have described in detail a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is understood that I do not limit myself to the specificdetails shown except as defined by the followingl claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrolytic device, an incorporated in a composition of andglycerine.

2. In an electrolytic device, an ionogen incorporated in a gel preparedby dissolvingthree parts by weight of gelatine and one part by weight ofglyceri'ne.

3. An electrolytic condenser, comprising filmed and conductive metalplates and a substantially dry gelatin glycerin conductor between saidplates` 4. A dry, electrolytic condenser, comprising a series ofaluminum plates joined to one terminal, a series of conductive platesjoined to another terminal, and a conductive gelatin glycerincomposition between said aluminum and said conductive plates.

5. A dry electrolyte including glycerine and sodium bicarbonate.

6. An electrolyte comprising glycerine and sodium bicarbonate.

7 A condenser comprising filmed alu minuml plates and' conductive platesheld in intimately disposed spaced relation by a dry gelatine-glycerinecomposition containing sodium bicarbonate.

8. In an electrolytic device, a filmedelecgelatine trodc, and a dryelectrolyte,including glycerine and sodium bicarbonate.

9. In an electrolytic device, a filmed electrode, and an' electrolytecomprisingv gelatine. glycerine and sodium bicarbonate.

10. In an electrolytie device, a filmed electrode, and an electrolytecomprising an ionogen incorporated in a' composition of gelatine andglycerine. y

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe .'my name this 3 day of March,1927.

HARRY N. MILLER.

ionogen

